Smough sure has the same problem a lot of bosses in this game have. Ie, he is not very useful when you're in his face with a sword Seems the only thing he can even DO then is that thunder butt stomp, haha.

Back in anor londo to try to be summoned to help with O and S. after 20 minutes, I am summoned but lol, for gwendoline, which I never fought before, and after 30 seconds, the guy dies.
OK, it was fun, back to the waiting game.

Smough sure has the same problem a lot of bosses in this game have. Ie, he is not very useful when you're in his face with a sword Seems the only thing he can even DO then is that thunder butt stomp, haha.

Back in anor londo to try to be summoned to help with O and S. after 20 minutes, I am summoned but lol, for gwendoline, which I never fought before, and after 30 seconds, the guy dies.
OK, it was fun, back to the waiting game.

If this is like the PS4/XBO remaster, your weapon level also determines whom you get matched with, so your +15 Uchi could possibly be the culprit in your not getting summoned.

Also Anor Londo is where most of the multi-player is bound to take place so there's also a ton of competition from other people who are also putting down signs. Joining the Warriors of Sunlight Covenant (i,e; Sunbros) increases your chances of being summoned and also rewards you (and the summoner) with a Sunlight Medal.

For what is worth, I had the most success in being summoned by putting my sign right outside the 4 Kings fog gate. Less competition and I assume it's the boss most people have trouble with besides O&S

Man, Giants' Tomb is giving me a hard time. The game forcing you to pick between a lantern and a shield is such an annoying move. Probably the hardest area to make any progress in for me so far. Still, I've finally managed to reach what seems to be the bottom/end, but... there's nothing there? Just a big orange portal, same as the one in Demon's Ruins and Anor Londo. Am I missing something?

Man, Giants' Tomb is giving me a hard time. The game forcing you to pick between a lantern and a shield is such an annoying move. Probably the hardest area to make any progress in for me so far. Still, I've finally managed to reach what seems to be the bottom/end, but... there's nothing there? Just a big orange portal, same as the one in Demon's Ruins and Anor Londo. Am I missing something?

Really? There was nothing in Anor Londo when I went there. A tiny area to explore and a bridge that just ended in nothing. I figured I had to find an item or something elsewhere first, so I left again. Uh, I hope you're not telling me I have to climb all the way back out of the tomb and catacombs again?

Really? There was nothing in Anor Londo when I went there. A tiny area to explore and a bridge that just ended in nothing. I figured I had to find an item or something elsewhere first, so I left again. Uh, I hope you're not telling me I have to climb all the way back out of the tomb and catacombs again?

Fffuuuuuccckk. I got so fed up trying to find the proper way down, I ended up just jumping into a lot of pits until I found a path that didn't kill me. I have absolutely no clue how to get back up.

I mean, I appreciate that the unrelenting difficulty and allowing the player to fail is part of the fun of the game, but it would've been nice to have had at least some kind of warning that I was going to spend over five hours stumbling towards a dead end. Well, I found some cool treasure down there at least.

Fffuuuuuccckk. I got so fed up trying to find the proper way down, I ended up just jumping into a lot of pits until I found a path that didn't kill me. I have absolutely no clue how to get back up.

I mean, I appreciate that the unrelenting difficulty and allowing the player to fail is part of the fun of the game, but it would've been nice to have had at least some kind of warning that I was going to spend over five hours stumbling towards a dead end. Well, I found some cool treasure down there at least.

LOL. The optimism is much appreciated, but if I ever get back out, I'll actually be totally stuck in the game! I went into the catacombs because I couldn't progress any further and it was the last area I hadn't checked out yet. Guess I must've missed something somewhere.

LOL. The optimism is much appreciated, but if I ever get back out, I'll actually be totally stuck in the game! I went into the catacombs because I couldn't progress any further and it was the last area I hadn't checked out yet. Guess I must've missed something somewhere.

Just got back to Anor Londo the same way you got there the first time. Once you get there, explore a bit near the bridge you mentioned and look around.

There are several buttresses on the big Cathedral to your left facing the bridge. You can actually walk on one of the buttresses which leads into an open window. And don't feel bad for missing it. I missed it as well on my first playthrough and actually had to look up online how to progress.

Also, you made it all the way to the bottom of the Tomb of Giants; that's no mean feat. I feel that the moral this game tries to teach the player over and over is you can do it. As opposed to most other videogames, the challenges, and therefore the triumphs, in this game are actually meaningful.

Just got back to Anor Londo the same way you got there the first time. Once you get there, explore a bit near the bridge you mentioned and look around.

There are several buttresses on the big Cathedral to your left facing the bridge. You can actually walk on one of the buttresses which leads into an open window. And don't feel bad for missing it. I missed it as well on my first playthrough and actually had to look up online how to progress.

I see... haven't looked at the spoilered part yet, but I'll check out Anor Londo some more. Thanks for the help!

Edit: and thanks for the words of encouragement! I do agree that the game always seems to be trying to teach you something as a player, from tackling very specific situations to more general things like perseverance. That really speaks to how well designed it is.

Take out the dart guys before you use a purple blooming moss because they might just toxic you again immediately. They don't respawn so better to glug some Estus and take them out and use the moss after. They drop blooming and there is some to loot down there very early on also, so even if you don't get some from the forest or the undead female merchant you should be good.

I see where I should be going but I don't get enough space. I feel like Ornstein is easier to do first because he's more likely to be away from Smough, but I've barely managed to get four hits on them before they overwhelm me. The successful run of this is going to be another hour-long fight like Gaping Dragon was, chip by chip against Ornstein until I down him and then go ham on Smough

I see where I should be going but I don't get enough space. I feel like Ornstein is easier to do first because he's more likely to be away from Smough, but I've barely managed to get four hits on them before they overwhelm me. The successful run of this is going to be another hour-long fight like Gaping Dragon was, chip by chip against Ornstein until I down him and then go ham on Smough

Escaping from the Tomb of the Giants went much smoother than I expected. I was afraid it'd take me a whole afternoon session, but I was out in about twenty minutes. I'd love to ascribe that to a dramatic improvement in skill on my part, but it was mostly due to some very big shortcuts, alongside enemy placement being a little less unforgiving on the way up.

Now I'm fighting these silver knights in Anor Londo, and for the first time really trying to use parrying attacks. I don't know if I was supposed to be doing that all along, but the timing is damn hard! Makes combat a lot more exciting/satisfying though.

Hello everyone. I'm finally playing Dark Souls for the first time and I'm having a blast. The game so far is very challenging. I died like ten times already. But, I feel the game's difficulty is pretty fair. It feels very rewarding when you finally take down a boss. I also like that the game encourages you to figure things out on your own. The remaster on the Switch looks pretty good. Too bad about the audio quality.... however, that's a minor issue. I like Dark Souls already!

I'm just towards to end of Blightown I think. Stick with it, as with anything in this game it gets easier with practice and repetition. You'll figure out the big boys with the bat soon enough and also deal with the archers that don't respawn.

Hello everyone. I'm finally playing Dark Souls for the first time and I'm having a blast. The game so far is very challenging. I died like ten times already. But, I feel the game's difficulty is pretty fair. It feels very rewarding when you finally take down a boss. I also like that the game encourages you to figure things out on your own. The remaster on the Switch looks pretty good. Too bad about the audio quality.... however, that's a minor issue. I like Dark Souls already!

I'm just towards to end of Blightown I think. Stick with it, as with anything in this game it gets easier with practice and repetition. You'll figure out the big boys with the bat soon enough and also deal with the archers that don't respawn.

Ok so I've got through blightown and helpfully was lead back to Firelink That was a pleasing sight after three big boys in a row. Now I'm on valley of drake's but think this isn't for me right now. I've got past two of the little dragon things but there's three more! Don't think I can handle that right now. Maybe I need to go back in blightown and head the other direction? (think there's a boss I've missed).

Ok so I've got through blightown and helpfully was lead back to Firelink That was a pleasing sight after three big boys in a row. Now I'm on valley of drake's but think this isn't for me right now. I've got past two of the little dragon things but there's three more! Don't think I can handle that right now. Maybe I need to go back in blightown and head the other direction? (think there's a boss I've missed).

Have you fought the Blighttown boss? The way to progress is made clear after that.

As for Valley of Drakes, that's an area that you just pass through. There are things to do there, but it's basically just a way to connect 4 areas of the game, and one of the ways you'll only get to later on.

I did manage to solo Smough and Ornstein, lightning spear to quickly chew through Smough, then a standard broadsword and engaging Super Ornstein at point blank range.

Then went through the painted world and opted not to kill the poor abomination. Opted to tackle the Catacombs first of the next set of challenges. Fought some crazy thing called Pinwheel and now I'm down in the dark.

Have you fought the Blighttown boss? The way to progress is made clear after that.

As for Valley of Drakes, that's an area that you just pass through. There are things to do there, but it's basically just a way to connect 4 areas of the game, and one of the ways you'll only get to later on.

At the water wheel, look right at the big hill guarded by the big ogres, left would be to the bonfire in the tunnel.

All the loot you pick up are just different weapons. 99.9% of weapons in Souls games are worthy of taking you through to the end of the game, it just depends on your stats and playstyle, if you like the moveset etc. Remember, when you pick up a weapon it's totally unupgraded usually, so you're not really comparing like with like if you look at your upgraded weapon and think "well this doesn't stack up" - once you upgrade it to the same level it might be better - depending on your stats and the weapon's bonus damage scaling (the letter grading next to the stat icons).
Also if you don't have the stats to currently use the weapon, it's going to have negative attack values usually, again not really comparing like with like.

Ok thanks both, that should help me find it. Fair point regarding the loot, it's just that it's always called something low level sounding like tattered rags, or wooden plank or something which I'm hardly gonna use over elite Knight armour unless I want to die lol. That being said, my character is pretty sluggish.

I'm at the Duke's Archives right now and only have Seath, Pin Wheel Nito, the Centipede and Gwyn to go (I think that's right, I already killed the four kings).
It's recommendable to do the DLC content before killing Gwyn, right? Save coming back and having to do half the game again in NG+?

I'm at the Duke's Archives right now and only have Seath, Pin Wheel Nito, the Centipede and Gwyn to go (I think that's right, I already killed the four kings).
It's recommendable to do the DLC content before killing Gwyn, right? Save coming back and having to do half the game again in NG+?

Ok thanks both, that should help me find it. Fair point regarding the loot, it's just that it's always called something low level sounding like tattered rags, or wooden plank or something which I'm hardly gonna use over elite Knight armour unless I want to die lol. That being said, my character is pretty sluggish.

A lot of the light armour sets have really good resistances to things like poison or curse. Sometimes even just switching out one or two pieces can really make a difference to something like curse-resistance. And like you say, lighter gear will make your movement faster - if you're dodging better, you don't need so much defense. :)

Also about armour sets, heavy armour makes more noise which attracts enemies from further away. Light gear less so, makes it easier to sneak up on enemies or deal with fewer at a time.

Got this game a few weeks ago and I am probably at my 3rd or 4th bonfire. The only question I really have right now is if I am able to sell the extra crap I keep picking up. I have like 5 short swords I don't need.

Got this game a few weeks ago and I am probably at my 3rd or 4th bonfire. The only question I really have right now is if I am able to sell the extra crap I keep picking up. I have like 5 short swords I don't need.

You can sell them to an NPC who appears about a third through the game (you can't miss him) but it's not worth it as nothing really 'sells' for much. Often it's just easier to toss things than sell them. A few unique items are worth more than the average gear, worth selling if you're not using them.

You can sell them to an NPC who appears about a third through the game (you can't miss him) but it's not worth it as nothing really 'sells' for much. Often it's just easier to toss things than sell them. A few unique items are worth more than the average gear, worth selling if you're not using them.

Just got invaded for the first time and kicked their arse lol. That felt good.

I'm other news, Quelaag is ridiculous. Multiple ways to pretty much one shot me and I'm wearing my armour best against fire. I'm trying to learn attack patterns but I don't get the chance! I'm up in her grill then try and roll left, one hit then out, rinse and repeat but it's not working. I either get caught in the death mist or stuck in a fire lake.

Definitely blind. You only get one shot at a first playthrough and a huge part of the tension in these games is not knowing what comes next. You can always do NG+ later and then clean up using a guide.

I'm other news, Quelaag is ridiculous. Multiple ways to pretty much one shot me and I'm wearing my armour best against fire. I'm trying to learn attack patterns but I don't get the chance! I'm up in her grill then try and roll left, one hit then out, rinse and repeat but it's not working. I either get caught in the death mist or stuck in a fire lake.

There's not much she can do to you if you are hitting her side or behind. Watch out for her AoE slam, which is her most dangerous attack. It's very telegraphed. She'll stand up high on her legs to charge up so you can just roll away and let her do it.

I suggest you don't use lock on in this fight. Makes it easier to steer to position yourself away from her attacks. If she does the fire vomit run to a different part of the arena to kite her there. Don't get greedy. Hit her once or twice if you've got an opening and keep your positioning and an eye on your stamina meter.